Why did the French never demonize fat the way it has been in the USA for the past half century? Why did the French go on eating their cheeses, their omelettes with ham, their croissants, their steak with French fries — and still have lower levels of heart disease than in the USA where the population was terrified of eating a real egg or baking cookies with butter?

One important answer has been unearthed by Cristin E. Kearns, a researcher at the University of California, San Francisco. Simply: 50 Years Ago, The Sugar Industry Paid Scientists To Point Blame At Fat.

Though the aim of the sugar industry was to deflect the research findings that showed sugar's relationship to coronary heart disease, we know now that the replacement of fats with sugars in “low-fat” and “no-fat” food products has resulted in an increase in obesity. Never mind the effect on heart disease.

Two detailed articles explain how the sugar industry paid scientists to come up with studies against fat and exonerating sugar.

After reading these articles I was again deeply grateful that I discovered the French system of staying healthy and slim. Think of all the delicious food I would have missed if I had been afraid of foods that contained fat.

Also, a reminder: It pays to check who paid for the research when you evaluate the findings of food studies.